1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to generation of vascular models and analysis of blood flow, and more particularly, to generation of moving vascular models and analysis of blood flow using the moving vascular models and time-resolved Phase Contrast MRI.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Functional analysis of the human cardiovascular system is part of clinical diagnosis. In this respect, the assessment of blood flow is gaining importance as being an important estimator of cardiovascular problems. The majority of flow measurements are currently done in single imaging planes. However, single plane measurements have limitations when multiple samplings are required from multiple locations of the vascular system, since they are time consuming and lack high reproducibility over time.
Recent developments in flow imaging permit for three-dimensional acquisition of time-resolved phase contrast (PC)-MRI with three-directionally encoded velocities. The high-dimensional datasets acquired from such flow-sensitive four-dimensional (3 spatial dimensions+time) MRI techniques provide spatial and temporal coverage of the vascular region of interest. For example, these techniques allow for analyzing complex, secondary blood flow characteristics such as helices and vortices, as well as for deriving quantitative parameters by sampling at multiple locations resulting in dense and reproducible measurements.
However, analysis of blood flow using flow-sensitive time-resolved PC-MRI is still a challenging task due to noise and resolution of the datasets, and also anatomical motion caused by heart beat and breathing. An accurate definition of the intended vascular boundary and its temporal behaviour throughout the heart cycle are necessary for accurate derivation of quantitative flow parameters. In addition, the analysis process is required to be timely and efficient in order to be feasible in a real clinical setting.
Thus, there is a need for more efficient and accurate methods and systems to generate vascular models and perform blood flow analysis.